DeBlase case points to need for people to report child abuse, says advocate

Had family members or friends come forward about the alleged abuse against two children, one of whose body was found Wednesday, both “might still be alive,” said Patrick Guyton, director of Mobile’s Child Advocacy Center.

“It’s very upsetting,” Guyton said. “People don’t report abuse for a lot of reasons. But if just one person reported this abuse when they first saw it, two children might still be alive.”

The remains of Jonathan Chase DeBlase, 3, were found Wednesday by authorities who scoured a wooded area just north of Vancleave, Miss., off Miss. 57.

Authorities have not yet found the remains of his sister, Natalie Chase, 5, who is presumed to have been dumped in or near Citronelle.

According to Mobile police, several people, including the children’s family, have come forward in recent days, describing instances of serious abuse. None were reported to authorities, police said.

Guyton said people typically don’t report suspected or known abuse because “one, they don’t want to get involved in other people’s business. Number two, they aren’t 100 percent sure. They didn’t witness abuse. Maybe they saw bruises; maybe they heard yelling.

“And sometimes, there is already tension between relatives, and they feel if they reported abuse, it would exacerbate the family tensions that already exist.”

Yet, Guyton said, people should report abuse because, “The children can’t report it. Children, if they are being repeatedly abused, will think that is normal, and they won’t tell. Then they can become abusers themselves.”

To report suspected or known child abuse, contact the Alabama Department of Human Resources in Mobile County at 251-479-4616 or in Baldwin County at 251-947-8340.

Guyton said people can also report abuse to their local police department, or by dialing 911.